Ballintubber GAA on social media

Club News

HOT OFF THE PRESS. LIMITED EDITION

CLUB CALENDAR IS A MUST FOR 2019!

In order to mark what has been a hugely successful year in 2018 Ballintubber GAA Club have launched a special celebratory Calendar for 2019. The high quality production by Cashin Printers features twelve magnificent photographs to mark each month of the historic season just past. From this evening December 21st the unique Calendar will be available from members of the Club Executive and also in local Retail outlets. Modestly priced at just €10 it is sure to be treasured by Ballintubber GAA folk nationally and indeed around the globe. Also it will have a special place among treasured memorabilia in many homes long after 2019. Order your copy now.

Congratulations to our senior manager Kevin Johnson who has been chosen as the joint winner of the Club Stars 'Manager of the Year' award — alongside Paul Hunt from Tooreen Hurling Club.

Kevin and Paul will be presented with their awards on Saturday, January 12 in Knockranny House Hotel & Spa, Westport.

11 Ballintubber players have also been listed among the nominees for this year's Club Stars, after their epic efforts in winning the 2018 Moclair Cup

Tickets are selling fast for what promises to be a night to remember so log on now towww.clubstars.ieto purchase yours.

Baile an Tobair CLG - Important Information for Club Executive & Membership

Ballintubber GAA Club Annual General Meeting is on Sunday, January 27th, in Ballintubber Community Centre at 6pm. Documentation for the Nomination of Officer vacancies and Motions will be issued by the Club Secretary shortly

· The Annual GAA Club Dinner & Dance will be held in Breaffy House Hotel on Friday night, January 25th 2019. The date has been brought forward one day to facilitate people attending the Mayo V Roscommon National Football League game on the Saturday evening.

The Annual Christmas Club/ Croke Park Draw will be taking place again this year. All books of Tickets will be distributed to members before November 30th.

The Last Word!

Firstly we want to thank all who turned out last night for the “Big Match Banter Night” in Corley’s. Thanks to those who bought tickets and the remaining winners of the various draws on the night will be recompensed very shortly.We want to express our Club’s gratitude to the following generous sponsors, Michael Corrigan, Costcutter Stores, J J Burkes, Car Sales, Ballinrobe, Martin Burke, County Dry Cleaners, Vaughan’s Shoes and McHale’s Engineering for recentsubstantial financial assistance to our Club. Without your support we would struggle to give the required necessary back-up to our senior team structure.Our thoughts at this time are also with many club elders who played in the 1950s for Ballintubber Club. Thankfully many are still with us and will view the game on TG4. Also we know this game means an incredible amount to many emigrants from the Parish, scattered around the Globe. We know you will be cheering for us and that you are with us in spirit.Finally we want to express our very best wishes to our senior panel, and to Manager, Kevin Johnson, his selectors and backroom personnel for success tomorrow. Your hard work merits success. Terrific challenges have been surmounted this season to date – and we believe tomorrow’s test is surmountable for our Red & White heroes too.I am sure we do not have to ask you the good people of the Parish and beyond who support our Club to be in McHale Park tomorrow in vast numbers in order to give rousing support to the lads. “We are Ballintubber”Sean Hallinan – Cathaoirleach Baile an Tobair CLG.

Hear Ye…Hear Ye…

On the days leading up to big battles like the forthcoming one with Corofin on next Sunday my mind often drifts back a decade or more to a rousing motivational speech given by a highly esteemed club veteran- the irrepressibly gifted Liam O Toole - who thank God is still hale and hearty and who recently celebrated his 90th birthday. Liam’s ‘Tubber loyalty was unquestionable! He was the solitary civilian warrior from Ballintubber who had made a spectacular one man pitch invasion in McHale Park and felled Billy Fitzpatrick of Garrymore as he was about to score in the 1965 County Intermediate Final. On this occasion the year was 2008 and our Under 21 Panel who were enjoying great success at County U21 A level -were gathered in Corley’s Abbey Lodge. It was a squad occasion and as Liam approached - the boys gathered enthusiastically around …with his proud chest stuck out…his shoulders thrown back … in a loud passionate voice … Liam began to recite Brian Boru’s speech to his armies on the eve of the battle of Clontarf in 1014!…

“ Hear ye…Hear ye…On your valour rest the hopes of your country today; and what surer grounds can they rest upon?Oppression now attempts to bend you down to servility; will you burst its chains and rise to the independence of Irish freemen?Your cause is one approved by Heaven. You seek not the oppression of others; you fight for your country and sacred altars.It is a cause that claims heavenly protection. In this day’s battle the interposition of that God who can give victory will be singly manifested in your favor.Let every heart, then, be the throne of confidence and courage. You know that the Danes are strangers to religion and humanity; they are inflamed with the desire of violating the fairest daughters of this land of beauty, and enriching themselves with the spoils of sacrilege and plunder.The barbarians have impiously fixed for their struggle, to enslave us, upon the very day on which the Redeemer of the world was crucified.Victory they shall not have! From such brave soldiers as you they can never wrest it; for you fight in defense of honor, liberty and religion – in defense of the sacred temples of the true God, and of your sisters, wives and daughters.Such a holy cause must be the cause of God, who will deliver your enemies this day into your hands.Onward, then, for your country and your sacred altars!”Many of Liam’s attentive young audience on that evening are still serving Ballintubber and have honoured the club shirt with valour on countless occasions since.I’m not for a moment suggesting that Corofin are Barbarians and I’m sure they don’t have any designs on our daughters or indeed our sacred alters! But after two defeats by Corofin in the Connacht Club Championship (luckily in 2011 and deservedly in ’14) they can surely expect a really sturdy examination!P.S – Liam – on Sunday you will have a side-line seat at the front! If things are tight with three minutes to go and you see Gary Sice careering up the field …you will know instinctively…

Sean Hallinan – Cathaoirleach Baile an Tobair CLG

Match Preview and Big Match Banter!

All Ballintubber GAA Club supporters are invited to Corley’s Abbey Lodge on next Friday night, November 23rd for a “Match Preview and Big Match Banter” night. The evening will commence with a screening of the Mayo County Final V Breaffy at 9.30pm courtesy of Mayo GAA TV. Afterwards there will be a raffle for tickets for the Connacht Club Final, the Ballintubber Club Dinner Dance on January 25th, the Club Stars Awards night on January 12th plus County Board Draw Tickets for the 2019 draws. Finger food and refreshments will also be served. Conor Duffy will supply the beat and local artists will be most welcome to perform. Please show your support - there will be just two sleeps remaining before the big battle! Hon the ‘Tubber!

The Battle for the Summit!!

Firstly we want to thank the masses of Ballintubber supporters that travelled to Carrick on Shannon on Sunday last. How heartening it was to witness that the Club enjoys such a large and enthusiastic support base. Without being accused of being condescending I would like to extend a word of compliment to Aughawillian GAA Club; “you can be very proud of your skilled football display and you honoured the code in exemplary fashion with no unsavoury play or targeting of players – you are real Sportsmen and we wish you well”.Congrats to our Senior Club Manager, Kevin Johnson and his management & backroom team and the entire Ballintubber playing panel on a tricky quest successfully negotiated. The summit of Connacht Club football is now in sight. While we rejoice in our current standing I am confident we are fully focused and steely determined for the battle ahead on November 25th. What a better place could our club be - on the final day of the GAA calendar in 2018 - we meet the All Ireland Club Champions in the top county venue McHale Park (in recent years the scene of so many tremendous Ballintubber victories) in the Connacht Club Championship 2018 Final? We sincerely thank P J and Bernie Gibbons for a generous cash donation towards the Team & Management meal in the Bush Hotel, Carrick on Shannon on Sunday last.We extend our best wishes for a speedy recovery to stalwart clubman- Martin Kelly who recently suffered an unfortunate mishap. Martin - we hope you are fully well on the road to recovery and mobile before Connacht Club Final day.We extend the sympathies of the entire club membership to Mike Murphy and his family on the passing of Mike’s mother Rita – R.I.P - at the weekend. Our thoughts were very much with you all and young Brian on Sunday last – such service to the Club in very difficult personal circumstances is valiant and hugely commendable. Finally a word of thanks is extended to all you wonderful club people who run and support the weekly lotto. The Drum Inn is the venue on this Saturday night. “We are Ballintubber”Sean Hallinan – Cathaoirleach Baile an Tobair CLG

LOTTO WON AGAIN

AND WE HAVE 3 WINNERS😃😃😃😃😃What a weekend for the Plunkett family. Not only did Alan, Kelly and Michael scoop the club lotto but Alan and his wife Claire welcomed the youngest Ballintubber supporter into the world with the arrival of baby Beth Plunkett on Sunday morning, just in time for dad to head off to Inischrone to help the seniors reach the Connacht semi final. Congrats to u all from the Ballintubber GAA family on your new arrival and the lotto win.

Results from last Saturday nights lotto draw, next week's jackpot is €3,000. You can buy your tickets at the usual outlets or on line by clicking the link belowhttp://bit.ly/BallintubberGAA

LOTTO WON AGAIN

· The Annual Christmas Club/ Croke Park Draw will be taking place again this year. All books of Tickets will be distributed to members before November 30th.

Baile an Tobair CLG - Important Information for Club Executive & Membership

Ballintubber GAA Club Annual General Meeting is on Sunday, December 2nd in Ballintubber Community Centre at 6pm. Documentation for the Nomination of Officer vacancies and Motions will be issued by the Club Secretary shortly

· The Annual Mass for deceased members will be celebrated in Ballintubber Resource Centre on Friday night, December 7th, 2018 at 8pm.

· Mayo GAA County Board AGM is on Sunday – December 9th 2018 – in the Park Hotel, Kiltimagh – Nominations & Motions to be sanctioned by the Club Executive should be with Club Secretary, M J Duffy before – November 6th.

· The Annual GAA Club Dinner & Dance will be held in Breaffy House Hotel on Friday night, January 25th 2019. The date has been brought forward one day to facilitate people attending the Mayo V Roscommon National Football League game on the Saturday evening.

· Congratulations are extended to the Cathaoirleach, Officer Board and membership of Bord na nÓg and all who assisted with the highly successful “Scare in the Woods” Halloween event in Moorehall. It is a wonderful thing to witness such a “Meitheall” approach being such a splendid success.

· Best wishes to the Ballintubber Senior team and Management for their Connacht Club Championship match with Tourlestrane to be played in Enniscrone on Sunday next at 2pm. Please support.

Best Regards – Sean Hallinan – Cathaoirleach Baile an Tobair CLG

SENIOR COUNTY CHAMPIONS 2018

MATCH REPORT AVAILABLE

A Winter’s Tale!

It won’t matter if the turf is wet or if the chimney is drawing more curses than smoke this winter! There will be a warm glow in the firesides and hearths of many folks living in the “little villages” around Burriscarra Parish! Not even Moses and the Israelites - after they escaped from the army of the Pharaoh - celebrated with such gusto as did Ballintubber GAA supporters when the Paddy Moclair Cup returned to the Parish after an absence of four years. Indeed McHale Park was turned into a “Red Sea” as Ballintubber folk jigged, hugged and celebrated a historic County Final victory over near neighbors Breaffy. The victory followed on from two heroic encounters on previous weekends with our other old adversaries Castlebar Mitchells. While we rejoice as a club we recognize the undoubted excellence of the vanquished and we know full well their “day in the sun” will come. Our feelings of exhilaration for having conquered “the hard road” was further heightened on Sunday at Kilmeena as Michelle McGing led Carnacon ladies to their County title after a resounding win over Knockmore. One was exceedingly privileged to listen to two magnificent Captain’s speeches, the first by Damien Coleman in McHale Park on Saturday night and the second victory speech by Michelle McGing on Sunday afternoon in Kilmeena as the Senior titles - Men’s and Ladies returned to the Parish on one momentous weekend. Ballintubber Club and their sister Club, Carnacon ladies know the pain of disappointment, adversity and defeat. They also know the antidote - hard work, commitment, organization and a “never say die” approach. It was a weekend that will be forever recalled in the annals of the Parish. And what an extraordinary weekend it was! And what special times we live in! Hearty best wishes to both teams in the upcoming Connacht Club Championships and please keep up your support for both clubs.

Sean Hallinan - Cathaoirleach Baile an Tobair CLG

P.S - Best Wishes to Ballintubber Bord na nÓg for their “Scare in the Woods” event at Moorehall this weekend and to Club Treasurer Adrian Burke who will complete in the Dublin City Marathon next weekend.

COUNTDOWN TO THE 2018 COUNTY FINAL - ONE DAY TO GO

Tomorrow evening, Ballintubber take on Breaffy for the first time in a Mayo Senior Championship Football final at 8pm under lights in MacHale Park. It promises to be a very special occasion, as the two neighbouring clubs and parishes go head to head for the honour of lifting the Paddy Moclair Cup. Here’s a summary of our season to date in the Championship.

21 players have played in the championship for Ballintubber this season

Remarkably, 15 of these players have scored in the campaign

Cillian O’Connor leads the way with 1-34 (28 frees), with Alan Plunkett next in line with 3-10, despite failing to score in both games with Castlebar Mitchels.Next in line is Stephen O’Malley with 0-10, followed by Alan Dillon with 1-4 (1f) and centre back Michael Plunkett with 1-3, the same total as Ciaran Gavin, who has chipped in with 1-3 in his debut senior season. Midfielders Jason Gibbons and Diarmuid O’Connor have both scored 0-4, while forwards Bryan Walsh and Padraic O’Connor have scored 0-3.Captain Damien Coleman has scored two points, while the Finnertys, Stephen and Jamsie, have 0-1 apiece, as do defenders Myles Kelly and Gary Loftus.And last, but by no means least, the great Joe Geraghty kicked the last point of the season so far to defeat Castlebar Mitchels after extra time in our replayed semi-final.Scorers to date: C O’Connor 1-34, 28fs (37); A Plunkett 3-10 (19); S O’Malley 0-10; A Dillon 1-4, 1f (7); Michael Plunkett 1-3 (0-6); C Gavin 1-3, 1f; D O’Connor 0-4; J Gibbons 0-4; P O’Connor 0-3; B Walsh 0-3; D Coleman 0-2; S Finnerty 0-1; J Finnerty 0-1; M Kelly 0-1; G Loftus 0-1; J Geraghty 0-1.

So that’s the story of the season of far. It’s been a truly memorable campaign, and now there is just one more sleep! See ye all tomorrow in MacHale Park.#UpTheTubber

This Saturday evening, Ballintubber take on Breaffy for the first time in a Mayo Senior Championship Football final at 8pm under lights in McHale Park. It promises to be a very special occasion, as the two neighbouring clubs and parishes go head to head for the honour of lifting the Paddy Moclair Cup. Over the next few days we'll be bringing you some interesting stories and stats to get the parish talking in anticipation of the big match on Saturday.

FAMILIAR FACES ON COUNTY FINAL DAY

IT may be hard to believe but a lot of this bunch of Ballintubber players are getting ready to take part in their sixth county final in nine years.It’s a remarkable level of consistency, particularly during a period where Castlebar Mitchels have also had such success.As evidenced by the three pictures below, we have won three county titles since 2010, with John Feeney leading us to our inaugural success in 2010, Tom Earley doing the honours in 2011 and Jason Gibbons lifting the Paddy Moclair back in 2014. Damien Coleman will hope to become the fourth man to climb the steps at McHale Park and lift the county title on Saturday evening.So, having looked at the participation of the players in the previous five finals (having lost in 2012 to Ballagh’ and 2017 to Mitchels), who is the only player to have played in every single minute of all those five finals in McHale Park?

The accolade goes to our outstanding midfielder Jason Gibbons, and he is one of only four players who have actually played in all five finals - the other three are:

Alan Dillon (who only missed ten minutes of action, having been substituted with 10 minutes to go in the 2012 defeat);Alan Plunkett (remarkably, it was he who replaced Dillon in 2012, he played every minute in three finals, missing the last six minutes in 2010);Padraic O’Connor (who started all five finals but was taken off in three of them, 2010, 2012 and 2014).

Brendan Walsh (goalie who came on in 2010 final and has played all the other four finals).

Cillian O’Connor has been the main contributor on the scoreboard for Ballintubber in County Finals, in the finals he has played he has scored 2-15, 2-6 of that from play.And while there have been so many familiar faces in those finals down through the years, it is heartening to see that at least two players are likely to play some part in their first county final on Saturday night, those being young forwards Ciaran Gavin and Jamsie Finnerty.#HonTheTubber

COUNTDOWN TO THE 2018 COUNTY FINAL - 3 DAYS TO GO

This Saturday evening, Ballintubber take on Breaffy for the first time in a Mayo Senior Championship Football final at 8pm under lights in McHale Park. It promises to be a very special occasion, as the two neighbouring clubs and parishes go head to head for the honour of lifting the Paddy Moclair Cup. �Over the next four days we'll be bringing you some interesting stories and stats to get the parish talking in anticipation ofthe big match on Saturday.

FROM THE ARCHIVES - U-21 A SEMI-FINAL, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2008

The current Ballintubber and Breaffy senior sides have enjoyed a multitude of battles over the last two decades at both underage and senior grades but one memorable clash took place just a few weeks short of ten years ago.It was at the semi-final stage of the U-21 A championship when the two teams travelled to St Patrick’s Park in Westport to go head-to-head on a wet, cold and wintry Saturday afternoon. It turned out to be a very tight affair and in the end was decided by an early goal from Ballintubber midfielder, Jason Gibbons, with the ‘Tubber winning 1-8 to 0-8. A quick look at the two starting teams and subs from that day shows that at least seven of the Ballintubber players could feature again on Saturday evening, and six from the Breaffy players.We went on to claim our first every U-21 A title later that year when defeating Westport, and reclaimed the title the following season, before going on to win our first Senior title in 2010.Uploaded below are a selection of photos taken by Paul Mealey on that wet day in Westport, with a few fresh looking faces and choice haircuts on show! The referee for the game in 2008 was none other than Vincent Neary, who will again take the whistle for the county final on Saturday evening!The late David Gavin featured at full-back on the Breaffy U-21 team that afternoon and no doubt David will be to the forefront of the thoughts of players and supporters on both sides next Saturday night. May he rest in peace.

This Saturday evening, Ballintubber take on Breaffy for the first time in a Mayo Senior Championship Football final at 8pm under lights in McHale Park. It promises to be a very special occasion, as the two neighbouring clubs and parishes go head to head for the honour of lifting the Paddy Moclair Cup.Over the next four days we'll be bringing you some interesting stories and stats to get the parish talking in anticipation of the big match on Saturday.

THE GAVIN/DILLON CONNECTION

18-year-old Ciaran Gavin is having a storming first season on the Ballintubber Senior team, having had great trust placed in him by manager Kevin Johnson.Back on September 28th, the young man from Killawulleaun in Killawalla turned 18 years of age, on the same day that his veteran team-mate in the half forward, Mayo and Ballintubber legend, Alan Dillon, turned 36! So Alan is exactly twice the age of his young team-mate in the Tubber half forward line!

Our picture here is of Ciaran and his older brother Shane, bedecked in the red and white, ahead of Ballintubber's first ever appearance in a Mayo Senior Final in 2010, when we won the Paddy Moclair Cup for the first time, defeating Castlebar Mitchels by 0-8 to 0-5.Not even Ciaran's proud parents, Johnny and Caitiriona, would surely have believed their son would be lining out in a Senior County Final a mere eight years later.#UpTheTubber(pic courtesy of Sportsfile)

Best Wishes for Semi-Final

On behalf of the Ballintubber GAA Club supporters across the Parish - county wide and nationally and our emigrants scattered across the globe I want to wish our Senior Panel and Management every success on Saturday evening next in the County Senior Semi-Final against Castlebar Mitchells. I would urge all our Club supporters to turn up in McHale Park on Saturday evening bedecked in Red & White and please be vocal in your support.

Since our Intermediate Championship win in 2007 our senior team have consistently played in the knock-out stages of the Mayo Senior Championship year after year - a remarkable feat in itself. We are very proud of all of you and we know you will represent the Club and Parish to the very best of your ability. Go to it boys – “We are Ballintubber”.

Sean Hallinan – Cathaoirleach Baile an Tobair CLG

GENERAL CLUB BUSINESS

Ballintubber G.A.A Club - Executive and Colleagues

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your huge efforts last weekend to ensure that the hosting of our senior Championship with Breaffy was an outstanding success. It is accurate to say it was one of the biggest crowds ever to attend a Mayo Club Championship game at a rural venue. The presentation of the game was faultless and Clogher looked truly resplendent.

Thanks to all the club people who helped with the hedge trimming, striming, railing repairs, flags, catering, sound system, anthem, programme, stewarding and traffic control. Thanks also to the pitch caretaker, Noel Heneghan, Kevin Cosgrave and Johnny Larkin who kindly gave their fields for parking, Tommy Hughes & Pat Barrett, (Video), Michael Donnelly and Louis Walsh, photographers and those whose precious memories of Clogher were recorded on video for posterity.

Thanks also to our Ballintubber players and their Management for a solid competent championship performance, the Order of Malta who services we deeply appreciate and to the referee, his match officials and Breaffy Club for their contribution to a most memorable high standard senior championship match.

Carnacon Ladies – Reconciliation and Resolution Required

I want to wish our sister Club - Carnacon Ladies - every success with their upcoming appeal to the Connacht LGFA Council. For the past twenty years our girls have embellished the playing fields of Mayo, Connacht and indeed Ireland with performances of the highest standard. While not wishing to interfere - intractable difficulties are best sorted by wisdom, good communication, listening and fair-mindedness. My earnest wish is for the situation to be speedily resolved in mutual harmony for the good of “the Green above the Red” of Carnacon and Mayo ladies Gaelic football next season and in the future.

Ciaran Gavin is a talented Ballintubber Minor and Senior footballer. He has been chosen to travel to Africa later this year to assist the SERVE Organisation with Development & Aid work in Africa assisting young people, helping them with new skills in the classroom, living in same area, cooking and also working in agriculture and food production.

In order to assist Ciaran and to help raise funds for this most worthy cause, Ballintubber GAA Club will host the annual Horan Cup Competition on next Sunday July 29th. Ballintubber will play Tourlestrane of Sligo in Clogher pitch at 1pm. Admission is €5 and all donations will be kindly accepted. Strong support is requested for this most worthy cause. Please support.

Support Rachel’s Big Night

On this Saturday night, July 21st - our Mayo Rose of Tralee contestant 2018 - Rachel Gibbons is running a fundraiser in aid of her chosen charity- the Mayo Mental Health Association and in support of her journey to Tralee. The event will commence at 8pm in Corley’s Abbey Lodge, Ballintubber and there will be music, finger food and a fantastic array of raffle prizes to be won on the night. The weekly Club lotto draw will also take place. Your support would be very much appreciated.

Everyone associated with Ballintubber GAA Club is extremely proud of the fact that our very ownCillian O'Connoris now Mayo’s all-time record scorer, a phenomenal achievement for someone who is just gone 26-years of age.In truth, it is no real surprise to everyone involved with the club as his precocious talent was all too apparent to all of the coaches and players who had the privilege of togging out with him right up through the ranks of Ballintubber GAA Club.For the record, Cillian has now scored 447 points in total for Mayo in league and championship, that’s 28 goals and 363, and unbelievably he will become the all-time leading scorer in the GAA when he scores 24 more points for Mayo.Everyone in the club knows only too well that Cillian deserves all the plaudits he gets. His dedication, attention to detail and pure love of the game has been evident from the moment he first pulled on a Ballintubber jersey and he has truly given his all so far in his momentous Mayo career. Congratulations again to Cillian, everyone at the club hopes there are many more proud moments to come.